# Any gays who are out in US gov? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 21, 2001, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121 "2001-01-21T11:26:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tuffymcg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tuffymcg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tuffymcg)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/1 "2001-01-21T11:26:55Z")
Just curious but…in the UK we have one or two high flying politicians who are gay and are “out” they seem to be getting by ok despite a fairly unhealthy rabidly anti-gay contingent in UK society so I was wondering if the same were true in the US? ---
**Author:** ![beakerxf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc79bd/32.png) [@beakerxf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beakerxf)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/2 "2001-01-21T13:58:56Z")
I did a quick search and found this [site](http://www.indiana.edu/~glbtpol/elected.htm). They list three out politicians: Tammy Baldwin, Democratic member of Congress from Wisconsin Barney Frank, Democratic member of Congress from Massachusetts Jim Kolbe, Republican member of Congress from Arizona I thought that California had a lesbain senator at one time, but I may be remembering incorrectly. ---
**Author:** ![beakerxf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc79bd/32.png) [@beakerxf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beakerxf)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/3 "2001-01-21T14:05:29Z")
Oh, and Kolbe isn’t exactly welcomed by his own party. When he gave a speech at the Republican convention, some of the delegates held a prayer protest and held up signs telling him he should change. ---
**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/4 "2001-01-21T14:30:12Z")
The little city of Santa Cruz, California had an openly gay mayor, when I lived there. Also there is a city councilwoman here in Arvada (a suburb of Denver) who came out with the fact that she had had gender…crap it’s early & I can’t remember the term. Anyhow she used to be “male” and now she’s a woman. Arvada being a very conservative little town, this caused quite a stir and many people wanted her to resign. :rolleyes: She stayed on, though I think she is retired now. And yes I realise she’s not necessarily gay, but it is to many people equally shocking or repugnant or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/5 "2001-01-21T14:32:00Z")
Gender reassignment? I think that’s the term. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/6 "2001-01-21T19:14:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by beakerxf \* > \*\*Oh, and Kolbe isn’t exactly welcomed by his own party. When he gave a speech at the Republican convention, some of the delegates held a prayer protest and held up signs telling him he should change. \*\* The fact that Kolbe was invited to speak in the first place shows that it is not the Republican Party as a whole that is unwelcoming, just some of the delegates. ---
**Author:** ![beakerxf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc79bd/32.png) [@beakerxf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beakerxf)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/7 "2001-01-22T00:51:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bibliophage \* > The fact that Kolbe was invited to speak in the first place shows that it is not the Republican Party as a whole that is unwelcoming, just some of the delegates. \*\* That’s a good point. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/8 "2001-01-22T01:40:57Z")
To clarify for the OP, Barney Frank is undoubtedly the most well known - he’s one of the more senior congress-critters, high up in the Democratic party leadership, and enjoys a reputation as a formidable debater. He turns up in the headline news from time to time, not always on gay-related issues. About ten years ago he survived a sex scandal involving a male aide. ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/9 "2001-01-22T02:02:09Z")
Did whasis name ever get comfirmed to be Ambassador to Luxembourg? If so he’s one. Here in CA, we have Carole Midgen… plus a bunch of others in SF and around. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/10 "2001-01-22T03:12:26Z")
I know you didn’t ask about Canada, but perhaps it would interest you to know that New Democratic MP Svend Robinson has been out since 1978; there’s also Bloc Québécois MP Réal Ménard. Also, the mayor of Winnipeg, Glen Murray, is gay, making Winnipeg the largest city in the world with an out gay mayor. ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/11 "2001-01-22T03:16:48Z")
There are a lot of gay people in various governmental positions- Clinton made a conscious effort to have quite a few. Isn’t Donna Shalela a lesbian? And, as I’m sure you know, Trent Lott is a big old homo. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/12 "2001-01-22T03:55:13Z")
On a local level…NYC Councilman, Tom Duane (Democrat). ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/13 "2001-01-22T04:02:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by andygirl \* > \*\* > Isn’t Donna Shalela a lesbian? > \*\* I don’t think so… I used to wait on her at the sunporch cafe in Madison… and I’m pretty sure she was there with her husband… Coulda been a sham though. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-gays-who-are-out-in-us-gov/51121/14 "2001-01-22T04:07:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by beakerxf \* > \*\* > Tammy Baldwin, Democratic member of Congress from Wisconsin \*\* Who is, IMHO, a total babe – _and_ she supports universal health care! I just wish I knew if she was single.